Canterbury Chamber Choir was founded in 1995. The founding musical director was the respected British conductor George Vass and the founding Chair was Tony Eldridge.
The intention was to establish a choir that would aim high in terms of performance, seeking excellence through intense rehearsals in a short period before performance, and drawing its members from established and experienced choral singers. The repertoire has always been wide-ranging, from the Renaissance to new commissions, including premieres, and performing the works of living British Composers, on occasion in their presence, is something of a speciality.
The choir has over the years performed at the Presteigne and Canterbury festivals, the English Music Festival Club, has worked with Orchestra Nova, and recorded on the Dutton Epoch Label. More recently we were delighted to join the London Welsh Male Voice Choir in concert at Canterbury Cathedral in 2019 under our (then) shared Music Director Dr Edward-Rhys Harry.
After 22 years at the helm George decided to relinquish his position and was succeeded by Edward and then our current musical director Peter Futcher.
The choir’s primary purpose is making music and doing all we can to promote music-making, but as a charity we are also keen to either raise funds, or assist in the raising of funds for good causes. Over the years in excess of £40,000 has been raised for causes including, most recently, Catching Lives, Porchlight, Pilgrim’s Hospices, Royal Society of Musicians, SNAAP and Strode Park Foundation.
